Euralle In Trouble

 "Looks like you are improving quickly," Euralle compliment Ian. And she was not lying. Ian was able to reach what took her three years to achieve.

 'Thought, it should be because how young I was at that time,' she tried to console herself.

 "It's all thanks to you," Ian's smile make Euralle's hear skip a beat and she was determined to find a doctor and get a prescription for a heart attack at this rate.

 Watching them both, Fiona rolled her eyes, already used to the compliment that is not flirting, though for everyone else, they will think the two are flirting.

 "In that case, this is the end for today's class. I think you can go now," she smiled, though to both Ian and Fiona, it seemed forced for some reason.

 "Alright, we will be going now," Ian replied, before walking out of the store, Fiona in tow. Unseen by the others, Fiona 'dropped' a pouch fill with coins as they left the place.

 When they no longer inside the store, Euralle slumped on the couch, before pulling the sleeves on her right arms. There, a bruise is formed, already turning purple.

 "I hope they will not make it worse," she said to herself. Before, she was beaten up and had used a Healing Potion on herself. The thugs then returned and give her more beating, warning her if she healed herself, the consequences will be dire.

 Oh how she want to tell the guards but when she did, they sided with the thugs, who then make a mess out of the store and her. The only good thing is that they were merely interested in using her as a punching bag instead of sex slave, which is not really much of an improvement.

 Soon, she heard the door being pried open. Her eyes widened in fear as the door were torn apart from the hinges.

 The thugs entered the store with a cruel smile, "I think you need to learn your place,"

-x-

 "I can't believe you forget your own money. How did you even drop it?" Ian asked, though he knew what really happened.

 "Sorry," Fiona apologized though she was not really sorry. After all, she could tell something is happening to Euralle. She might not be close to the woman but she still respect her for her intellect.

 "Well, here we ar-" whatever that he was about to say was stuck in his throat, seeing the door being rip open by something or someone.

 "Let's see what happen," Ian decided, the other person next to him agreed.

-x-

 When they enter, they were met the sight of a bruised Euralle getting beaten up by three thugs. 

 "Know your place, trash!" one of the yelled as he kicked the pinkette's stomach. Another one grinded his boots on her rear while the last one stepped on her head.

 At that moment, Ian and Fiona sees red, "Strengthen," he uttered, the spell making both him and Fiona stronger.

 The two dashed towards the thugs, who barely react to them, to which they take great advantage of it. Ian punched the one that kicked her stomach and step on her head, while Fiona sent flying the other one who was stepping on her rear.

 As the thugs groaned, being sent through the wall, Ian examined the pinkette. His heart wrenched when he saw her black eyes, bruised lips and cheeks, as well as a part of her clothes were torn. And that is what he sees. Who knew if there are more underneath her dress.

 When the heard the sound of someone standing up, Ian cast a weak Arcane Shot, sending them deeper into the wall. He then walked towards them, smiliing even though his inner self is arming itself for what about to happen.

 "Who sent you?" Ian asked, glaring at the hidden assassin. To the men's credit, they did not talk, which improve his thought of them. That does not mean he is going let them unscathed though.

 "If you don't want to talk, so goodbye to your legs privilege,"

Screams of pain was heard from the store.

-x-

 Euralle could feel her head aching. Then again, being slammed on the ground, head first will do such thing. She prepared for another beating when she felt something soft under her.

 She opened her eyes to see she was not in room. In fact, she was sure she is not in her store. A glance to her right reveal Ian and Fiona, who sigh in relief.

 "W-what happened?" she hate how small her voice sound but she was still in pain, though not as bad as before.

 "Thugs attacked you, so we beat them up," Ian answered as Fiona handed her a cup filled with water, which she accept gratefully.

 "Thanks," she said before she take a sip.

 The two mages watched as the smaller woman slowly relaxing herself. They exchanged look and decided to ask.

 "So, what's the deal with those thugs?"

 Euralle had a bitter look before she told them everything she knew.

-x-

 "So, the thugs had been bothering you when we started to come to your stores, and they were the thugs who asked for money for the debt," Ian summarised what he heard, Euralle nodding at him.

 "Why don't you tell us anything?" Fiona asked, the pink-haired woman already told them of the corruption that seeps in the guard's rank.

 "This is my problem. I don't want to involve my customer slash benefector into this," Euralle replied.

 Fiona sighed. After all, it does make sense, not to mention, would any other customers would go all out of their ways to help the store they frequent at. If there is a problem or the store was closed, they will usually just go to other stores.

 "What do they really want?" Ian asked with a frown. When the two women looked at him, he explained, "For some reason, they leave her alone, until she get customers, to which they harrass and best her up. The only reason is they want to make her desperate and probably depends on them, though for why, is the question,"

 Fiona nodded, agreeing with him. "Make sense. But what do they want?"

 "What is certain is we can't make her stay at the store or she will be attacked again," Ian exclaimed.

 "Do you think the others mind having her join us?" as the two spoke of how to tell the others they are getting new roommate, Euralle starting to feel overwhelmed by them.

 "Why are you helping me so much?" while she did not yell, the tone she used is almost the same.

 "Because you get beaten up because of us. Of course we will help you," Euralle merely looked at the two with disbelief.